


Masquerade

by QianLan



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Secret Identity, Torture, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-10-28 01:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10820643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QianLan/pseuds/QianLan
Summary: Hidden feelings, hidden identities…Poe and Finn have been hiding behind myriad excuses, not telling each other how they feel, and now they’re hiding behind literal masks at a costume party that itself is hiding dangerous secrets.But when two undercover ops bring Poe and Finn together and then threaten to tear them apart, it’s time to stop hiding and deal with what’s right in front of them.COMPLETE





	1. Missed Opportunities

**Author's Note:**

> I went back and forth on the rating for this one and finally decided to err on the side of caution and go with the M, which is mostly there for violence and language.

 

 

“It’s my own damn fault,” Poe says with a sigh.

 

“No,” Iolo huffs out.  “No, I mean, yes.  Yes, it’s your own damn fault, but no, we aren’t having this conversation again.”  He looks around the mess and then waves Karé and Snap over.

 

“I just—”

 

“No,” Iolo says.  “I’m going to stop you right there, Poe.”  He holds up a hand and waits for Karé and Snap to join them.

 

“Iolo.  Poe,” Snap says sitting down.  “What are we talking about?”

 

“I was just informing Poe that we will no longer be willing to listen to the _it’s-my-own-damn-fault_ speech.”

 

“Thank goodness,” Karé says.

 

“Really, Karé?”  Poe shoves his plate aside.

 

“Poe, did you or did you not have six months to tell him?  Six months where he was awake and alert and running around the base getting better?  Six months to tell him you love him?”

 

“Yeah, but—”

 

“No,” Iolo cuts in.  “No buts.  You had six months.  Six months when we kept telling you that you needed to talk to him but you kept chickening out—”

 

“It was never the right time.”

 

They groan.

 

“Maker! Poe, come on,” Snap says.  “Look, I’ve tried to stay out of this because we all move at our own speeds, but seriously!  What about the day he left?  Or kriff, what about the party after Skywalker came back?  When Finn got tipsy and plastered himself to your side?”

 

“He was drunk,” Poe mumbles.

 

“He wasn’t drunk,” Karé says.  “And he was giving you every in imaginable, and you kept shutting him down.”

 

“I’m not going to confess my love to someone drunk,” Poe says with a bit of force.  “Besides,” his voice goes soft.  “Rey was there.”

 

The group groans again.

 

“Poe, darling, we’ve been over this,” Iolo says.  “She’s not interested in him.  He’s not interested in her.  That was in your head.”

 

“I don’t know about—”

 

“Well then perhaps we ought to ask Jess and _her girlfriend_ what they think about it,” Karé says.  She stands and shouts across the mess, “Rey?  Jess?  Can you two come here for a moment?”

 

Poe drops his head to the table, burying it under his arms.  “Why am I friends with any of you?”

 

“Because we care,” Snap says, bumping Poe’s shoulder.

 

“What’s up,” Jess says and then before anyone can answer, she adds, “Is Poe pining over Finn again?”

 

Poe groans.  “I’m so glad you all find this amusing.”

  
  
“You should have told him before he left,” Jess says.

 

Poe lets out a whimper.  “Please, guys.”

 

Rey puts a hand on Poe’s shoulder.  He can actually sense her sympathy.  He looks up at her.  She smiles.  “The two of you kept trying to do the noble thing and now you’re both miserable.”

 

“I’m sure he’s fine.”

 

Rey’s smile turns sad.  She leans in.  “Just tell him when he gets back.  When he gets off the transport, be there waiting and tell him.”

 

“Rey, it’s not that—”

 

“Poe,” Rey’s voice turns stern.  “It _is_ that easy.”

 

“Listen to her, Dameron.  She’s a Jedi,” Iolo says.  “She knows things.”

 

Poe rolls his eyes at Iolo and has a quip ready to go when Kaydel appears.  “Commander?”

 

“Yes?  Oh thank goodness!  You need something?”

 

“Yes,” Kaydel starts, “but if you’re busy…”

 

Poe is already scrambling up and away from his friends.  “No!  Nothing at all.  Best not to keep the General waiting,” he says, shepherding Kaydel towards the exit.  He turns and sticks out his tongue at the table.

 

“You can run, but you can’t hide, Dameron,” Jess calls after him.

 

“Yeah, Testor?  Just watch me.”

 

**# # # #**

 

**Two months ago:**

Poe’s heart is thumping so hard, he’s convinced it’s going to rip right out of his chest and land in Finn’s bag.  _Maybe that’d be for the best_ , Poe thinks.  _Put me out of my misery._  “So, you have to be pretty excited, huh?  Big undercover assignment?”

 

Finn raises an eyebrow.  _Are you nuts, Dameron?_   “Not all of us like the spy stuff, Poe.”

 

“Oh.  Yeah, I guess, but still, it beats sitting around here waiting for something to happen.”

 

Finn chuckles.  “You are the worst when you’re bored.”  He stuffs another shirt into the bag and then frowns.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.  I just can’t believe I actually have stuff now, you know?”  Finn sits on his bed and faces Poe.  “So, what do you have planned?”

 

“For the immediate future?”  Poe shrugs.  “It’s gonna be so kriffing desolate around here without you.”  Poe falls backward onto his bed. _Because I love you, Finn.  I love you.  Don’t go._

 

Finn laughs again.  “Yeah, cause there’s not a whole squadron of pilots ready to get you into trouble at a moment’s notice.  I’m guessing you guys will come up with something to keep yourselves occupied.”  _And you’ll probably fall in love with someone while I’m gone and forget all about me. I love you, Poe.  Please don’t fall in love with someone while I’m gone._

 

“Yeah.”  Poe sounds so unenthused that Finn is actually worried.

 

“Poe, what gives?”

 

“Nothing, Finn.  I’m fine.”  _Don’t go._

 

Finn stares as his roommate, his friend, his maddeningly unobtainable crush.  “Poe?”

 

“Uragh,” Poe says, scrubbing his face and sitting up.  “Just in a bad mood, Finn.”

 

“The perpetually chipper and always upbeat Poe Dameron is in a bad mood?”

 

Poe rolls his eyes.  “I’m not always upbeat.”

 

“You’re irritatingly happy,” Finn says.  “Well, except in the mornings.”

 

“See?”  Poe stands, trying to find something to do.  “I’m just as grumpy as the next being.”

 

Finn shrugs.  “Too bad.”

 

“Too bad?”

 

“Yeah, for a second there, I thought you were sad I was leaving.”

 

 _I am!  Finn, please don’t go.  It’s going to be dangerous and I don’t want anything to happen to you and I love you.  Can we please kiss now and have lots of sex?_   Poe hesitates and then says, “Full of yourself aren’t you?”

 

 _Dammit, Poe.  I’m trying here!  This is flirting, you big idiot!  Why won’t you miss me as much as I’m going to miss you?_   Finn smiles.  “I guess so.  Although I have it on good authority that I’m a good man.”

 

“I’m never gonna live that one down, am I?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Come on,” Poe says, reaching for Finn’s arm.  “One last meal before I have to see you off.”

 

“Oh, you’re actually going to come and watch us leave?”  For a moment, Finn feels a flicker of hope.

 

“Of course!  What are friends for?”  Poe can actually feel his heart break as he says it.

 

**# # # #**

 

**Now:**

For one split second as he enters command, Poe holds onto the hope that they’ve heard from Finn, but as soon as Poe spots General Organa, he knows that’s not the case.

 

She smiles as he approaches.  “We aren’t expecting to hear from him for another few weeks, Poe.”

 

“I know that,” he says, praying he doesn’t sound too defensive.

 

She motions towards a meeting room and they walk in.  “I’m hoping that you might be up for an undercover mission of your own.”

 

Poe perks up.  Things haven’t been dead since Starkiller, but they have been far more quiet than he’d like.  The Order is out there somewhere licking its wounds, and after the Resistance moved to its new base, it’s felt like there has been nothing to do.  Poe is restless.

 

Leia punches a button on the small console in the room.  A face appears on the screen.  “This is Ansa An’tana.”

 

“An’tana?  As in?”

 

Leia nods.  “The An’tana family of Coruscant.  Old money.  And a family that has managed to retain its power and prestige throughout numerous regime changes.”  She sighs.  “They’ve done it by playing along with both sides as it suits them.”  She shakes her head.  “We’ve suspected for years that they are involved in some…less-than-reputable things, but we haven’t been able to prove anything.”

 

“And?”

 

“And last week, we got intel that might help us prove something.”  Leia presses another button and the image changes to a large Advozse.  “That’s Latal Bon Xer.”

 

Poe grunts.

 

“You know him?”

 

“Not personally,” Poe says.  “But I’ve heard enough over the years.  Weapons dealer, set up on Kaddak, and…  Oh no, General, please say you aren’t sending me back there.”

 

Leia smiles.  “No.  After last time, I’d rather not send you there.  According to our intel, Xer is going to be at a rather exclusive party thrown by the An’tana family on Coruscant.”

 

“That moof-milker on Coruscant?”  Poe laughs.  “He’s going to stand out.”

 

“We have reason to believe that he’ll be going undercover and that the An’tanas will be acting as intermediaries in a weapons deal between Xer and the First Order.”

 

“What,” Poe stands up.  “That’s crazy!  What does the Order need with sleazy weapons dealers—they have their own factories.  Plus, Xer may be a worthless piece of…,” he catches himself, “bantha fodder, but he’s always stayed out of galactic politics.  If he’s taking sides, then…”

 

“I know,” Leia says.  “Which is why I want you at this party to confirm if this deal is actually taking place.”

 

“What do you want me to do if it is,” Poe asks.

 

“Nothing.  I want you to come back here with the intel.  There’s no more Republic, so there’s no one to report the An’tana family to, and I’d rather them go on thinking we don’t know where their allegiances fall.  Plus, I’m guessing that there are some of Xer’s associates who may be very interested in knowing he’s doing business with the Order.”

 

“Fair enough,” Poe says.  “So what’s my mission exactly?”

 

“We’ve managed to snag you an invitation to the An’tana family’s annual masquerade ball.  Your name is Cassian Bey.”  She can’t hide her smirk. 

 

Poe blushes.  _You drunkenly tell your superior officer about your crush on a certain Rebel captain, and she turns it into an alias._ “The Bey is a nice touch,” Poe says.

 

“I thought so,” Leia says.  She continues, “You’re a ship builder from Kuat looking for an in with the family.”  Leia passes over a piece of flimsi and a datachip.  “Your backstory is all here as well as all of your travel arrangements.”

 

“So when do I leave?”

 

“Transport lifts off tomorrow at 0600.”

 

**# # # #**

 

It’s been two months of wanting to punch these beings in the face, and today, for some reason, they seem to be aiming to be especially sleazy.  Finn clinches his hands into fists and tries to find his calm center.  It isn’t working.  He lets the blaster he’s been trying to clean clatter to the table.  _Only a few more days, Finn._

 

Technically, he’s not Finn.  He’s Rook Antillies, a solider-for-hire from the Outer Rim.  At least, that’s what he told Marco, the Captain of the Oggra. 

 

Nine weeks ago, the Resistance had gotten intel on how the First Order was peopling its Stormtrooper program, so the General got Finn a fake identity and sent him to Kaddak; she told him to keep his eyes open and wait.

 

It took him less than a week to find this ship, and three more days to get hired on.

 

All he had to do was pay some thugs to attack Marco and then step in and save the day.  The Captain was so grateful, he offered Finn— _no, Rook_ —a job on the spot.

 

The Oggra was a medium-sized transport with a small crew: Ollie, Bubs, Gill, and Stancchi.  Ollie and Bubs were the talkative, stupid type, but they were both huge and could handle themselves in a fight.  Gill was a dark Mon Calamari and a psychopath, plain and simple, but Marco had something on him, so Gill worked for him—for now.  Stancchi was the pilot, a kindly Drabatan who rarely spoke but who hummed constantly.

 

Finn quickly decided he’d play the strong, silent type.  It seemed to be what the ship needed, so his first day on the Oggra, when the others tried to intimidate him, he ended up breaking Bubs’ arm in two swift moves. 

 

Since then, they haven’t bothered him much.

 

 _Much._   Finn takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.  _Only a few more days_. 

 

Bubs’ voice filters back into the lounge, “Alls I’m sayin’ is that we make this deal and then we pool our resources and buy ourselves a cute little slave…”

 

Finn tunes them out.  He knew when he took this mission that going undercover with mercenaries was going to mean that he’d be in close quarters with some questionable types—and that he’d probably have to do some questionable things—but so far he’s managed to avoid murdering anyone.  _Or, from the sounds of it, buying someone_.  He’d like to keep it that way.

 

Besides, he’s so close. As it is, he’s already managed to figure out how the First Order is using mercenary ships like this one in its kidnapping program.  Finn figures he’s already collected enough intel to make dismantling the operation a real possibility. 

 

He’s also managed to thwart at least six kidnappings.

 

In fact, Finn could’ve headed back to base a week ago, but that’s when he got word that they were headed to Coruscant to meet up with Latal Bon Xer and his people.  _It’s too good an opportunity to pass up_ , he thinks. He bites his cheek.  _Just a few more days_.

 

Ollie comes into the lounge.  “What’s with you?”

 

Finn shrugs.  “Just ready to be planetside.”

 

“We’ll be on Coruscant soon enough.”  Ollie leans against the wall across from Finn.  “Say, Bubs and I were talking about after this op is over if we all pooled—”

 

“No,” Finn says in a low voice.

 

“But we were thinking that if we—”

 

“No,” Finn repeats in the tone that says he’s brooking no opposition.

 

“Fine.  Have it your way.”  Ollie huffs out and Finn can hear him say, “Rook isn’t interested.  Maybe we should ask Gill?”

 

Finn’s hands clench again.  _A few more days.  A few more days and I can…_   An image of Poe, sitting on his bed in their room fills his mind—there are some things he misses so much it hurts.

 

He sighs and reaches for his blaster, absently starting to clean it for the third time.

 

 _Only a few more days_. 

 

 


	2. Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The masquerade party where "Cassian Bey" meets "Rook Antilles"

 

 

Poe tugs at his jacket—royal blue and way too nice for his tastes, but it does seem to fit with what he is seeing in the rest of the place.  [He secures a golden mask to his face](https://img1.etsystatic.com/026/0/7132690/il_340x270.653163283_1yzx.jpg)— _of course it’s a kriffing masquerade ball_ —and hands his invitation to one of the guards at the private docks.

 

The guards nod him in and Poe’s suddenly in a huge hall full of beings from every edge of the galaxy.  He follows the general flow of bodies until he turns a corner and his mouth falls open.  The main room is cavernous.  Poe’s pretty sure the entire Resistance base could fit inside it with room to spare.  It’s all gleaming gold walls and mirrors, and it’s way too fancy for an Outer Rim kid like him.

 

Poe tugs at his jacket, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager playing dress up.  Poe shuts his mouth and takes a deep breath.  _I’ve got this.  I’m not thirteen anymore_.  He takes a split second to get into character— _I’m Poe fucking Dameron_.  _No, kriff!_   He shakes his head.  _I’m Cassian fucking Bey._   He straightens his shoulders.  _Yeah_ , he thinks, lips quirking into a sly smile, _Cassian fucking Bey_. 

 

Poe struts into the party.

 

This is a who’s who of the galaxy’s best and brightest—and there’s more than one being Poe knows is funneling funds to the other side, not to mention all the banthafuckers who are just sitting around _doing nothing_ while a war rages around them.  _But tonight, I’m one of them_. 

 

Poe grabs a drink when a waiter walks by.  _Have to be charming.  Have to figure out where they’d be having their secret meeting._

 

He scans the room as he moves _.  Xer’s not going to show his face in public, and if the Order is here, they aren’t either_.  He bites his lip.  _Who looks like hired muscle?_

 

**# # # #**

 

“Hey, Rook!”

 

Finn’s head shoots up. 

 

The Captain steps forward.  “There’s a party going on upstairs, and the family doesn’t want us messing anything up.”

 

Finn shrugs.  “Okay.”  They’ve been sitting in this small room for thirty minutes now while the Captain contacted Xer.  They’re in the basement of huge complex owned by the An’tana family.

 

The Captain sighs.  “No.  You don’t get it.  Screw the family.  We need to make sure that there’s no funny business going on up there.”  He shoves a handful of material at Finn.  “So we’re sending you in.”

 

“What?”  Finn stands, examining what he now realizes is a costume of some sort.

 

“Yeah, it’s a masked party.  You’re gonna wear that and wander around, make sure that Xer and the family are keeping up their end of the deal.”

 

“Why me,” Finn says, holding up a cream-colored mask and frowning.

 

The Captain smiles.  “Because you’re the pretty one.”

 

Ollie, Bubs, and Gill laugh.

 

Finn smiles a rough smile.  “Have fun on guard duty, boys.”  He moves towards the door. 

 

As it shuts behind him, he thinks _, Well, this kriffs everything the fuck up_.

 

**# # # #**

 

It takes what feels like forever, but then Poe finds what he’s looking for: a man in a dark purple suit.

 

Something about the way the guy holds himself.  _He can throw a punch_ , Poe thinks.  The guy turns around, and Poe stops dead in his tracks.  [The man is wearing a cream-colored mask ](https://img1.etsystatic.com/024/0/8152687/il_fullxfull.499519263_2ud1.jpg)and the contrast with his dark skin and beautiful black eyes is startling.  Poe fights the urge to smile and wink at the guy.  _On a mission, Dameron.  Focus!_

 

Poe takes a shaky breath and turns, surveying the rest of the room.  _There’s gotta be another piece of muscle here.  Someone a little less handsome?_

 

**# # # #**

Finn stands inside the most lavish room he’s ever seen in his life.  There are beings of every shape and sort—all wearing some sort of fancy outfit and mask.  _Although, let’s be honest.  Does a Hutt really need a mask?  We all know you’re a Hutt, dude._

 

Finn shakes his head, scanning the room.  He really needs to be inside when the deal goes down; he needs an excuse to go back.  _Come on, Finn.  Think of something!_

 

As his brain goes over plausible scenarios, he lets his eyes wander.  They stop on a human male across the room.  _Something about him…_   Finn lets his eyes sweep over the man.  He isn’t especially tall, but he has a presence to him.  He is all in blue, and it’s clear that he knows he wears it well.  His gold mask sets off the copper of his skin and he has dark hair that curls just a bit and…  _That’s it_ , Finn thinks, chiding himself.  _He reminds me of Poe._  

 

_Poe…_

 

Finn sucks in a breath.  _Concentrate, Finn.  Come on!_

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe has been watching the wait staff and other underlings coming and going for the better part of an hour now and he has a pretty good idea of the two likeliest routes to the more secure parts of the house.  _Now, I’ve just gotta pick one of ‘em and get to the good stuff_.

 

He edges his way around the dance floor, headed for one of the exits, when he freezes.  A tall red-headed man with a simple black mask walks into the room like he owns it.  Poe blinks.  _You can’t be kriffing serious!_   _Are they insane?  That’s as good as announcing they’re in bed with the Order._ He instinctively reaches for the blaster that’s usually on his leg.  It isn’t there.  _Kriff!_

 

General Hux looks around the room, bored, before turning to a member of the An’tana family and saying something.  She nods and walks away.

 

Poe’s whole being has gone tense.  He forces himself to relax, but as he does, the realization hits that the General probably has a good idea of what he looks like, and even though he is wearing a mask, it would probably be smart not to walk in Hux’s direction.  Poe turns slowly and then notices that there are several new humanoids near the dancefloor that all stand just a little too tall and a little too stiff to be ordinary partygoers.  _Kriffing hell.  He brought Stormtroopers to the party._

 

Poe’s brain quickly runs through scenarios on how best to get out of the room until he settles on one that will probably—he hopes—get him to the door at the other side of the dancefloor without Hux or his men noticing.

 

Poe turns, reaches out and grabs the first being he can see.  “Hey, wanna dance?”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Hey,” Finn says as strong hands grip him.  He’s about to jerk out of the grasp when he turns and meets the eyes of his would-be kidnapper.  _The guy from before_.

 

The guy is already leading them onto the dance floor.  “Sorry, buddy,” he says in a rushed whisper.  “It’s just that there’s some beings over there I’d rather not run into.”  He indicates the western end of the room, so Finn looks.

 

“Don’t look!”

 

“You nodded towards them!”

 

“But I didn’t think you’d look!”

 

“Well, then, don’t nod!”

 

It’s at that moment that both of them realize they’re standing on the dancefloor but they aren’t dancing. 

 

Poe takes the man’s hands—only now realizing that it’s the gorgeous man in the cream-colored mask ( _fragging hell!_ )—and pulls him into a waltz.

 

For a moment, the two of them dance in angry silence.

 

Finally, Poe can’t stand it anymore.  “I’m Cassian, by the way.”

 

“Rook,” Finn says.

 

“Nice to meet you, Rook.  And thanks.” 

 

“Don’t mention it,” Finn says.

 

“You’re pissed.”

 

“No,” Finn says.

 

Poe raises an eyebrow.

 

“Fine,” Finn says.  “It’s just if there are bad guys here, I’d like to know what I’m up against.”

 

“Who says they’re after you?”

 

“And how do you know they’re after you?”

 

“I…”  _That’s a good point, but I’m not gonna tell you that_.  Poe rolls his eyes.  “Fine, I’ll turn you so you can see,” he says, maneuvering them into position. 

 

Finn looks over and his breath catches.  Even with the mask, there’s only one person that can be: _Hux._ He feels the masked man pull him back into the dance.  _What in the kriff is General Hux doing here?_

“You okay, buddy?”

 

Finn startles back to the situation at hand.  He licks his lips.  “Yeah, it’s just…” he leans in, “that’s General Hux.”

 

“Yeah.”  _How do you know that?_  

 

“Of the First Order.”

 

“Exactly,” the masked man says.  He says it with a half-smile, and seeing that cocky grin, three things occur to Finn simultaneously.

 

One, this guy is some sort of adrenaline junkie who gets off on life-threatening situations.

 

Two, that smile is dangerous.  Deliciously, decadently dangerous, and if this were any other time— _and if there wasn’t a kriffing First Order General in the room_ —then Finn would really like to bite that cocky little smile off this guy’s lips…  If Finn’s being honest, he wouldn’t mind biting several other parts of this man’s fine anatomy too. 

 

Three, the guy twirling him around the dance floor is most definitely Poe Dameron.

 

_What the kriff are you doing here, Poe?!??!_

 

Finn wants to lean in and explain to Poe that _no, Hux being here is not exciting, it is bad.  Very bad.  Very, very bad.  So you need to stop smiling, Poe.   And I repeat, what are you doing here, Dameron?_  

 

_And while we’re at it, Cassian?  Really, Poe?  That’s your undercover name?  Why not just call yourself Lando or Luke?_  

 

But Finn can’t say all that and he can’t blow his cover—not yet—so instead, he takes a deep breath and says, “So, what do you need from me, _Cassian_?”

 

_Come on, Poe, you have to have recognized me!  For kriff’s sake, recognize my voice!_

 

Poe doesn’t know why but every fiber of his being tells him he can trust the man in his arms—and he’s not going to feel guilty in the least that he’s a little bit turned on by him.  Even with the mask on, this mystery man is gorgeous.  _And it’s not cheating on Finn just to notice other cute guys._

_Other cute guys who hate the Order and who are trying to help me_.

 

_And who look really fragging familiar.  And sound really familiar too._

_Really, really fragging familiar._

_…No._

_It couldn’t be._

_Could it?_

 

Finn clears his throat.

 

“Oh yeah.  Right.  Sorry!  Um, Rook was it?”  The mystery man nods. 

 

_Seriously, Rook?  As in Bodhi Rook?  Oh, Finn, sweetie._   Poe wants to just ask.  _What are the odds it’s him?_   The mystery man is giving him an impatient look.  _Right.  Mission.  Focus_.  “ _Rook_ , I need to make it over to that doorway behind us and slip through without Hux or any of the soldiers around the perimeter seeing me.  Think you can help a guy out?”  Even through his mask, Poe is fluttering his eyelashes, and Finn fights the urge to groan at him.

 

Instead, he rolls his eyes.

 

“Okay, so flirting isn’t our thing…”

 

“Oh, it’s my thing, and it could be _our_ thing, but not when the kriffing First Order is right over there,” Finn hisses.

 

“So maybe later?”

 

Finn fights the urge to say _Dameron, keep it in your pants_ , and instead says, “Sure.  We make it through tonight alive and you’ve got a date.”

 

The smile that Poe flashes Finn in that instant is beyond blinding. 

 

_Kriffing hell, Poe,_ Finn thinks.  _Are you seriously hitting on me right now?  Please tell me you know that it’s me._

 

_I am so going to hell if you aren’t Finn_ , Poe thinks.  _But you are Finn, right?_

_Right?_

_I’m sorry, Finn_.

 

As they waltz towards the doors, Poe stutters, “Actually, no.”

 

“What,” Finn asks, his eyes still trained on Hux. 

 

“I mean, I shouldn’t be flirting with you.”  _Not like this._   “You see, there’s this guy, and I really like him…” _And I think it’s you, but just in case…_

 

“Are you really telling me about this now,” Finn says, redirecting his attention to Poe.  “In the middle of all this?”

 

“Yeah.  Right.  Sorry.  Time to focus.”  Poe nods and like that, his head is back in the game.  He maneuvers them to the edge of the dance floor and pauses.  He’s about to just say it, call Finn out— _because this has to be Finn_ —but then one Hux’s men looks in their direction.  Poe bows to the mystery man and whispers, “Thanks, Rook, and be careful tonight.”  He kisses the man's cheek, and he’s through the doors before Finn can even process what is going on.

 

Finn waits a beat and then thinks, _Dammit, Poe.  Would you wait for me?_

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn opens his mouth to call out _Poe_ before stopping himself.  “Cassian,” he hisses, jogging down the hall.  But Poe is quick.  Finn takes two turns and thinks he has him spotted, but when he turns a corner, he runs straight into Bubs.

 

_KRIFF!_

 

“Good.  Boss sent me to find you.  Come on,” Bubs jerks his head down the hall. 

 

Finn starts walking with Bubs but turns and looks in the other direction— _where Poe must’ve gone_.  He says a quick prayer to the maker that Poe isn’t his usual reckless self tonight: _just keep him out of trouble, okay?_

 

“What does Marco want?”

 

“We’re supposed to be helping Xer and his people with logistics, right?  But the boss thinks something is off, like we’re not gonna get paid or something.  Wants you close in case things turn…interesting.”

 

_Kriff!_

 

Finn lets out a long breath.  _I have a bad feeling about this._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next chapter is entitled "From Bad to Worse" and I feel like this might be a good time to remind you to pay attention to the tags...


	3. From Bad to Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the masquerade continues upstairs, shady deals are happening downstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: torture, slavery

 

 

Bubs takes Finn to a large room downstairs.  As he walks in, Finn reminds himself, _Still a bad guy._ He makes his eyes icy and straightens his shoulders.

 

Ollie and Gill are surrounded by about a dozen of the worst-looking thugs in the galaxy, and they’re all looking him over, smirking.  _Crap.  The mask._   He rips it off and dares any of them to start something.  Most of them are smart enough to look somewhere else.

 

Marco stands in the middle of the room talking to a large Advozse. _That must be Xer_.  Xer is big and dirty and Finn’s heard enough stories to know that whatever is happening here at the party, it is not good news for the Resistance.

 

_Hux upstairs.  These guys down here.  This is shaping up to be one hell of a mess._

 

_Poe, please stay you’re staying far clear of all of this._

 

The room is jittery.  These are men who are used to doing things, not standing around.  And they aren’t the type to play nice with the dandies upstairs.  Finn pushes his lips together.  _This deal better happen soon or this is gonna turn south_.  Finn starts turning over likely scenarios in his head, the best exits, the ways to get out safely while still inflicting maximum damage to Xer and his men.

 

Marco laughs and reaches out his hand, and Finn refocuses on what’s happening in the room.  The Advozse shakes it and then nods to his men.  They push forth a tiny Twi’lek—she can’t be more than fourteen or fifteen, Finn figures, and his stomach drops.  _Oh no._

_No, no, no, no, no.  Please tell me they aren’t…_

 

Marco barks, “Gill,” who steps forward, grabbing the Twi’lek with a leer.  “Make sure our guest is comfortable.”  Gill drags her back towards the rest of the crew.  Finn’s hands ball into fists. 

 

_There are seventeen beings in the room, not counting me and her_.  Finn licks his lips.  _Those are crazy odds, but maybe if I_ —

 

Marco frowns.  “Where’s the credits?”

 

Xer chuckles.  “Don’t worry, Marco.  We’re just about to go and see about that.”

 

Marco crosses his arms.  “Not without me, you aren’t.”

 

Xer shrugs.  “Whatever.”  He turns back and shares a laugh with his men.

 

Finn watches Bubs, Ollie, and Gill tense in response. 

 

Xer’s men still.

 

The room goes silent.

 

_CRAP._

_No, no, no, no._   He locks his eyes on the girl.  _Protect her and run._   He goes up on his toes, ready to move.

 

At the far end of the room, one of Xer’s men sits at a terminal full of screens.  There are feeds from about six other rooms in the complex.  Hux and a member of the An’tana family appear on one of the screens.  The man points to it.  “Hey, boss, looks like they’re here.”

 

It’s as if the room deflates.  The tension leaves.

 

“Good,” Xer says.  “Let’s go.” 

 

Finn lets out a breath.  _Thank the maker._

 

Xer says to Marco, “You can come with us, but your men stay here.”

 

Marco scowls but then turns to Finn and the others.  “You stay here with her.  I’ll be back soon with the credits.”

 

Xer, his men, and Marco file out of the room, leaving Finn, Bubs, Ollie, and Gill to wait.  Finn looks at the Twi’lek girl.  Gill is holding her arm so tight, it’s going to leave a bruise.  She’s trying not to cry.

 

Gill moves over to the terminal and sits, throwing the girl into the seat next to him.  “Shut up,” he spits out.  The girl cowers.

 

Finn walks towards them, pretending to be interested in the security feed.  He’s calculating the best way to grab the girl and bolt.  Bubs and Ollie, he’s not worried about, but Gill…  Gill could hurt the girl if Finn isn’t careful.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe feels like he’s been skulking around for hours.  He knows it hasn’t been that long, but he’s had to dive into enough doorways and alcoves to avoid being spotted that he’s starting to think he should just quit moving.  This time, he managed to find an unlocked linen closet.  He cracks open the door and peers out.

 

Poe breaks into a huge smile as he spies Xer and about fifteen other toughs marching to a room at the end of the hall.  After they’ve all filed in, he follows.  He goes to the door of the room, being careful not to trigger any motion sensors.  He tries to listen but he gets nothing but muffled noises.  He looks around the hall and then smiles.  _The room next door?_

 

He walks to the door.  _Please be empty._

 

Poe’s smile gets even wider as he walks into the empty room and he damn near whoops in joy when he spots a door connecting his room to the one with Xer and all his thugs.  _I must’ve done something right in a past life to deserve all this luck._   He creeps over to it, making sure it doesn’t have a motion sensor.  It doesn’t slide open.  _Thank the maker for that_.  He then crouches down, presses his ear to the door, and listens.

 

**# # # #**

 

General Hux huffs out, “I really don’t see why we need to repeat—”

 

Xer raises a hand.  “With all due respect, General.  This is our first time working with you.  We’re familiar with the An’tanas, but you’ll excuse us if we’re a bit less trusting with you.”

 

Ansa An’tana steps forward.  She is the current matriarch of the clan—well into her seventies, but that doesn’t dull the shrewd gleam in her eyes.  “Gentlemen, you’ve both had lucrative deals with our family for years.  I assure you that this new partnership will be beneficial to you both.  That’s what this introduction is for.”  She smiles at Xer.  “But just to assuage your worries.  The General will be purchasing a number of weapons during the coming months.  You and your associate,” she nods to Marco, “will be responsible for obtaining these weapons from your dealers and delivering them to a neutral location where General Hux will then be able to arm his people.”

 

Xer laughs.  “I can’t believe the Order is funding its own terrorists.”

 

“It’s not.”  General Hux bristles.  “And I would prefer to call them unofficial operatives.”

 

Xer shakes his head.  “As long as the money’s right, you can call them whatever you want.”

 

“If the arrangement is acceptable to you,” Ansa says, looking from Xer to Hux.  Both men nod.  “Good.  Now, the family has arranged for some suitable sites for drop off and pick up and we have some intel on probable Resistance hotspots, places it might be wise to avoid.”

 

Hux snorts.  Ansa ignores him.  “For our usual fee, of course.”

 

“Of course,” Xer says. 

 

“Yes, of course,” Hux says.

 

“Good,” the woman says.  “Then, let’s take a look at the maps.”  She motions to the doorway behind Hux.

 

Poe is marveling at his good luck.  This intel is golden: he has the An’tana family and perhaps a mole in the Resisance.  He suspects that Hux is building his own splinter army out of the prying eyes of Snoke, and he has a good idea on how the Resistance can capture Xer once and for all.  He smiles and thanks whatever entity it is looking out for him tonight, but then he glances behind him.

 

A holo table.  _The kind that projects maps._

_Kriff!_

 

He has just enough time to stumble away from the door before it slides open and he finds himself falling onto his ass.  He looks up at Latal Bon Xer.

 

“Hi,” Poe says with a smile and a wave.  “Am I late?”

 

There are three blasters in his face in an instant.  Xer lets out a loud expletive and then, there are so many hands and so much yelling.  Someone rips off his mask, and then he is being hauled up.  Ansa An’tana is barking orders, and he is being dragged to a room across the hall—a room with its very own interrogation chair—and Poe thinks, _who just has one of these things in their house?_

 

They lock him in the chair and leave. 

 

_KRIFF!_

 

Soon, four Stormtroopers file into the room, and things start to feel eerily familiar.  Poe fights the urge to panic.  _I can do this._

 

Poe can hear yelling from across the hall.  His voice is all bravado as he says, “I’m guessing my sudden appearance upset the happy little alliance they’ve been forming?”

 

None of the Stormtroopers responds.

 

“So, did you guys get to try any of the hors d’oeuvres upstairs?”

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn’s plan is simple: grab the girl, shoot Gill, and worry about Ollie and Bubs as he’s moving.  He takes a breath, getting ready to move, when he sees it.  _No.  Please, maker, no_.

 

Finn leans back on his heels, feeling as if he’s been punched in the gut.  _Can this night get any worse?_

 

He nods to Gill.  “Turn up the volume.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“That one,” Finn points to a screen where Poe is being locked into an interrogation chair.

 

Gill chuckles.  “I think we’re about to have some entertainment, boys.”

 

**# # # #**

 

The door to the room slides open and General Hux walks in, taking off his gloves and slapping them across his hand.

 

“Hello, Commander.”

 

“General Hux!  I didn’t know you were invited to this thing!  Love the costume, by the way.”

 

“Always a pleasure, Dameron,” Hux says, flicking through a datapad.  He looks up.  “We haven’t traced any transmissions tonight, but we can’t be too careful, can we?”

 

“Yeah, you guys have the worst luck when it comes to information leaking.  Remember when that ex-Stormtrooper managed to supply the Resistance with enough information to blow up your murder planet?”

 

The punch to his stomach is quick and painful.

 

Poe groans.  “So, I guess that’s a _yes_?”

  
Hux shakes his head, and chuckles.  “I seem to remember the last time we had you in an interrogation chair, you gave up everything, didn’t you, Dameron?”

 

Poe’s whole body goes rigid for a split second.  Then he closes his eyes very deliberately.  When he reopens them, he says, “You don’t have Ren here this time, Hux.”  He forces himself not to shake.  _Please tell me that bastard isn’t here_.

 

“Shame,” Hux says.  “We’ll just have to settle for some old-fashioned torture.”

 

“Is that what gets you off, General?”

 

Hux nods to one of the Stormtroopers, who hands him a stun baton. 

 

He jabs it into Poe’s side and Poe screams.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn has crossed his arms and his hands are clenched in fists.  He holds his breath as he watches the scene play out on the monitor.  Every instinct in his body tells him that he needs to run out of this room, find Poe, and kill Hux.  He is just about to do it too—mission be damned—but then he hears the tiny Twi’lek crying next to Gill _.  I can’t abandon her._

_Kriff!_

_I’m so sorry, Poe._

 

Poe’s voice is a bit more ragged.  “Why are you doin’ this, Hux?  Why not just kill me?”

 

Hux laughs.  “You’re far too valuable a commodity, Commander.”  He moves around the interrogation chair.  “No.  We’ll have a bit of fun while our…associates are getting things ready, and then you’ll be coming back with us.  There will either be a very public execution or reconditioning.  Either way, it will be far more satisfying than simply killing you outright.”

 

Poe rolls his eyes.  “Always with the dramatics, you guys.”

 

Hux says, "All I need to know is if you are alone, Commander.  If you are, then this will go so much easier."

 

"Yeah, right."

 

Hux nods to a Stormtrooper who steps forward and breaks one of Poe’s fingers.  Poe screams.

 

“Doesn't matter.  We're conducting a thorough search now.  We'll soon find your compatriots."

 

"Gonna mess up the An'tanas' pretty party," Poe grunts out.

 

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that."  Hux walks up closer to Poe, studying his face.  "Tell me, Dameron,” Hux purrs, “do you have someone waiting back at that Resistance base of yours?  Someone you wouldn’t want to receive, say, your left ear, as proof that we have you?”

 

Poe strains against the chair—not because of the threat but because there _are_ people back there, people he doesn’t want to see that.  The General.  His pilots.  His dad.  Finn.  _Oh kriff, Finn._

_Please say you got out of here safely_.

 

“Tell me, Dameron, how do you think they’re going to feel when you’re dead?  Think they’ll mourn?  Will the Resistance hold a ceremony, do you think?”

 

Poe looks up at Hux.  “Go to hell.” 

 

Hux smiles and nods to another Stormtrooper.

 

As the trooper walks forward, Finn forces himself to look away.  Poe’s screams crackle over the monitors.  Gill chuckles and Finn wants to break his neck.

 

**# # # #**

 

Marco comes rushing in.  “Fragging hell,” he says.  “The An’tanas don’t have the money.  That kriffing General is carrying the purse, and he isn’t paying.  And now Xer’s men are all antsy.”

 

Everyone goes on alert.

 

“So, are we bailing on the deal,” Finn asks, moving a step closer to the girl.

 

“Not yet,” Marco says.  “But we’re gonna make sure to minimize our liabilities.”  He nods to Bubs and Gill.  “We’re taking her back to the ship now and then we’re gonna figure out where the An’tanas are holding their weapons.  Maybe make a side deal if we need to.”  Finn takes another step towards the girl, getting ready to move.  _It’s not ideal, but I might be able to get—_

On the monitor, Poe screams.  Finn can’t help but look.

 

Gill stands up, grabbing the girl and dragging her with him towards Marco.

 

Finn watches them, frozen in place.  _KRIFFING HELL!_

 

Marco looks over at Finn and Ollie.  “You two stay here.  Keep an eye on that First Order guy.  The one there on the monitors.  Make sure nothing happens.  If he leaves that room, I want to know about it.  One way or another, we are getting paid for this mission.”

 

“Kriff yeah, we are,” Ollie says.

 

Marco nods.

 

The Twi’lek sobs as Gill jerks her towards the door.  As they leave with her, Finn bites his cheek so hard he can taste blood, but he doesn’t move.  _What to do, Finn?  What to do?  Need to save the girl and get Poe out of here._

_Need a plan._

_Need it right now._

 

Poe’s next scream drags his attention back to the monitors.

 

Poe’s face is bloody now.  One eye is swollen shut and both hands look bruised and swollen.  Finn feels sick.  _Everything is going to hell._

 

He turns to Ollie to say something when he hears it.  A thud as a Stormtrooper lands a punch to Poe’s stomach and Poe’s moan, “Finn.”

 

Finn turns to the monitor.  His eyes go wide.

 

_No.  I imagined that._

 

He steps closer to the monitor and waits.

 

The trooper hits his leg with a metal bar.  Poe sobs out, “Finn.”

 

Finn is moving long before his brain figures out what he’s doing.  He grabs Ollie, spins him and punches him in the back.  As the man falls forward, Finn kicks him and grabs his blaster.  He shoots Ollie twice before he hits the ground.

 

Finn starts running out of the room.  _Plan.  I need a plan._   He’s panting and desperately trying to figure out where the damn torture chamber would be.  _Need a kriffing plan right now…_

 

_Get Poe and find the girl._

_That’s not really a plan so much as a goal, but I’m going with it._   Finn raises his blaster and makes his way down the hall.  He says a prayer to whatever deity is listening that Poe will hold on just a little longer.  _I’m coming, Poe._

 

That’s when an explosion rocks the entire complex.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is everyone okay? Will Finn find Poe and rescue the girl in time?
> 
> Find out next week, during the penultimate chapter, which I'll be posting a day early (Wednesday)


	4. Rebellion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A battle has broken out at the An'tana compound. Finn doesn't care about the details. He simply needs to find Poe and get the girl.

 

 

It sounds as if the whole world is erupting into blasterfire, and Hux can smell something burning.  He frowns and turns to a communications console, but before he can stab at a button, two Stormtroopers run in.

 

“What is going on,” Hux demands.

 

A Stormtrooper says, “Xer’s men, sir.  They’re rebelling.  And the other group, from the Oggra, they’re demanding their pay up front.”

 

“Kriffing hell,” Hux yells.

 

Poe manages a laugh.  “Things aren’t going the way you planned, are they, Huxxy?”

 

Hux shoots him an annoyed look before turning to the Stormtroopers.  “You two, stay here with the prisoner.  You others, with me.  Let’s see what the fuss is all about.”

 

He marches out of the room.

 

Poe lets out a long breath and starts trying to figure out how he’s going to get out of the chair.

 

**# # # #**

 

_Of course, everything would go to hell now.  Can’t make this easy, can you, universe?_   Finn holds his blaster at his side and tries to figure out where the fighting is centered.  The halls are filled with smoke, making it that much harder to see where he’s going.

 

Finn creeps down the hall; the sounds of blasters are getting louder.  _Kriffing hell, I’m gonna have to fight my way through this, aren’t I?_   He turns a corner and comes face to face with a heavy-set human male with long white hair and a shaggy beard.  If he has to guess, it’s one of Xer’s men.

 

The man raises his blaster at Finn just as Finn raises his, but then Finn spots a Stormtrooper taking aim at the man from down the hall.  “Move,” he yells, stepping to the side and shooting at the trooper. 

 

The man spins as the Stormtrooper falls.  “Fragging sithspit,” he says, his voice low and gravely.  He turns back to Finn.  “I guess you ain’t on their side, eh?”

 

Suddenly six more Stormtroopers appear down the hall.  Finn grabs the man’s arm and runs towards some overturned furniture.  “Not really,” he manages, diving behind a cabinet.

 

The man comes crashing down beside him.

 

“Rook,” Finn says, popping up over the cabinet and popping right back down.  A shot hits the wall where his head was a second ago.

 

The man grunts out, “K’al.”

 

“Good to meet you, K’al.”

 

“We’ll see.”

 

Finn can’t help but smile.  “Fine. So how’d you manage to piss off the Order?”

 

“What’s it to you?”

 

“Any enemy of the Order…”

 

K’al peers over the edge of the cabinet and then ducks as another shot zooms past them.  “Me and some of the others didn’t feel right about this deal.  Xer’s a bastard and all, but he never got political before.  A lot of us had family or friends in the Hosnian system.  Heck, a lot of us have long memories.  Remember what it was like under the Empire.”

 

Finn nods.  “Ever thought about joining the Resistance?”

 

K’al laughs.  “Yeah, right.  Can you imagine if me and the boys just showed up one day?  I’m sure Organa would love that.”

 

“You’d be surprised,” Finn says, raising and shooting before ducking back down.  “We’re not gonna last here much longer.”

 

“Any ideas?”

 

Finn shakes his head.  “No.  But we’re still gonna need to move if we don’t want to get captured.”

 

The older man nods. 

 

Finn says, “See that hallway over there?”

 

K’al peers over the cabinet.  “The one to the right?”

 

“Yeah.  Think you can make it?”

 

“I’m not that old, Rook.”

 

Finn smiles.  “I’ll lay cover.”

 

K’al takes a deep breath.  “On three.  One…two…THREE!”  He jumps over the cabinet.  Finn pops up and begins shooting at the troopers.

 

K’al’s focus is on the hall, so he doesn’t see the troopers moving to intercept him.  Finn yells and jumps over the cabinet, sprinting to the other man.  “K’al,” Finn screams, grabbing the other man’s jacket and pulling him down just as a barrage of fire takes out the wall behind them. 

 

K’al can feel a shot zoom past his head.  He lands with a thud on the ground.  “Fuck,” he yells.

 

Finn is already shoving him to cover.  As they get behind a pillar, K’al looks at him, wide eyed.  “I owe you one.”

 

Finn smiles.  “I’ll remember that.”  He nods to the west.  “I think the docks are that way.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“Trying to find my friend.  Not leaving without him.”

 

K’al chuckles.  “You’re one of those, then?”

 

“One of those?”

 

“Fundamentally good people.  Save stranger’s lives.  Don’t leave their friends behind.”

 

“Something like that,” Finn says.  He puts a hand on K’al’s shoulder.  “You really should think about joining the Resistance.  It’s full of _fundamentally good people_.”

 

“And how would you know?”

 

Finn’s eyes twinkle.  “Just a guess.”  He starts running towards the east.  “Good luck, K’al.”

 

“You too, Rook!”

 

**# # # #**

 

It’s quieter in this part of the house.

 

Finn creeps down the hall and listens at the first door.  And then the second.  And then the third.

 

Behind the fourth door, he can hear Poe chattering away.  _Of course_ , Finn thinks.  _Thank the maker, he’s predictable_.  He bites his lip.  _No telling how many troopers are on the other side._

_Oh well._   Finn takes a deep breath and steps inside.

 

He’s able to shoot the first Stormtrooper before the second one can get his blaster up.  But he has to dive behind a table to avoid the second one’s shot.  He briefly thinks about returning fire, but the trooper is way too fragging close to Poe.

 

He slides to the far end of the table and peers over it.  The trooper steps forward and Finn jumps up.  He tackles the trooper and they grapple.  Finn finally gets the upper hand and slams the trooper’s head into the ground.  He pulls off the helmet to make sure.  The man is out.

 

Finn lets out a long breath and stands up.

 

“Hey, gorgeous,” Poe slurs out.  “You came.”  _I knew you’d come._

 

Finn kicks the Stormtrooper out of the way and rushes to the chair to start unlocking Poe.  “Maybe flirt later, Dameron.  Right now, we’ve gotta get you outta here.”

 

“Oh wow.  You know it’s me?  Neat,” Poe says, his head listing to the side. 

 

“We’re not wearing masks anymore, Poe,” Finn says.

 

Poe is babbling.  “The mystery man knows my name and I know his.  And it’s a good name too.  Really good.  It’s my favorite name in the whole galaxy.”

 

Marco is yelling over Finn’s comm link, “Rook!  Ollie!  What in the kriff is going on?”

 

“Shut up,” Finn hisses at Poe.  He then takes a breath and says, “Marco, everything’s gone to hell.  It was a set-up.  They got Ollie.  I’m headed back now.”  And to ensure that they’ll wait: “I found the purse—there must be close to a million credits.”

 

“Hurry,” Marco yells.

 

Finn turns to Poe and flips open the binders around his ankles.  “Okay, come on now.”

 

Poe falls forward.

 

Finn groans under his weight.  “You gotta help me a little, Dameron.”

 

Poe sways but rights himself.  “I’m good,” he says.  They both know it is a lie.

 

Finn puts himself under Poe’s left arm and starts pulling him along.  “Gotta get you outta here.”

 

“What about you,” Poe asks.

 

“I’ve gotta get back to my ship.”

 

“Come with me,” Poe says.

 

Finn shakes his head.  “There’s a girl that’s gonna be in a whole lotta trouble if I don’t get back to my ship.”

 

Poe nods and tries to pull away from Finn.

 

“What?”

 

Poe pushes him away.  “Go.  I’ve got this.”  He falls into a wall.

 

Finn grabs him before he crashes to the ground.  “No, you don’t have this.  Now, come on.”

 

Poe tries to shrug him off again.  “Go help the girl!”

 

“Dammit, flyboy!”  Finn sighs.  “Let me help you first.”  His eyes are desperate.  Poe finally relents.  Finn gets his arm back under Poe and takes off.

 

There is blaster fire, screaming, and smoke everywhere.  Finn turns a corner and recognizes a hall that leads to the private docks.  The Oggra will be there; hopefully Poe’s ship will be there too.  “Can you fly?”

 

“Anything.  Anytime.”

 

Finn rolls his eyes.  “I mean, are you well enough to fly?”

 

“You get me to my ship and I will get it in the sky.”

 

Finn isn’t convinced, but it’s going to have to do.

 

They turn a corner and Finn spots K’al. 

 

_Oh thank the maker!_

 

“K’al,” Finn yells.  The older man turns, his blaster up.  Finn decides to take a chance.  He puts Poe down gently.  “Stay here.”  He then turns to K’al.  “I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess you’d be willing to leave your crew.”

 

“What tipped you off, Rook?”

 

Poe is coughing and trying to stand up. 

 

“Will you just…”  Finn bends down.  “Just stay still, okay?”  He stands and turns back to K’al.  “What if I said I’ve got no love for my crew either?”

 

“Then I’d say you have some taste.”

 

Finn starts forward.  He puts his hands up.  “Look, I’m taking a chance here, but my gut tells me I can trust you.”

 

K’al raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything.

 

“I’ve gotta get back to my ship before they take off without me, but I can’t leave him…”

 

K’al looks over at Poe.  “What do you want me to do?”

 

“Can you get him out of here, maybe off world, and then contact the Resistance?”

 

“The Resistance!”  K’al laughs.  “You still on that kick?  Sure.  I think I have their contact information right here.”  He exaggeratedly pats his pockets.

 

“He’ll be able to get you on the right frequency.”

 

“You know I’m awake and I can hear you, right,” Poe says.

 

Finn turns, “Yeah, Dameron.  Now let the adults talk for a few minutes.”  He turns back to K’al, who has lowered his weapon. 

 

“Dameron?  As in Starkiller?  Poe Dameron?”

 

“Yeah, and he’s got a ship here, but as you can see…”  Finn swallows.  “Look, he has intel the Resistance needs.  Intel to help take down Xer and hurt the Order.”

 

K’al looks at Poe and sighs.  Finn recognizes the look in the other man’s eyes and he realizes, _He’s going to do it_. 

 

“Fine,” K’al says.

 

Finn smiles.  “Thanks.”

 

K’al frowns.  “What about you, kid?”

 

Finn shakes his head.  “Not yet.  I’ve still got one loose thread to tie up.”

 

“You sure?”

 

Finn nods.  “I’ll be fine.  I just need to make sure he’s safe.”

 

K’al smiles at that.  “There’s a hell of a lot more going on here than you’re telling me, isn’t there?”

 

“Yeah,” Finn says.  He puts a hand on K’al’s shoulder.  “And thanks for trusting me.”

 

“Fine,” K’al says.  “But only because I owe you one.” 

 

Finn laughs.  “That you do.”  They move to get Poe.  “For what it’s worth, I think you’d make a fine Resistance fighter.”

 

“Yeah, right.”

 

“Well, maybe he can convince you,” Finn looks down at Poe, who is trying his hardest to stay sitting upright.  He’s clutching his side. 

 

Finn leans down to Poe.  “This is K’al.  He’s going to get you off world and help you get back to the Resistance, okay?”

 

“What about you,” Poe slurs out.

 

“I have to rescue the girl, remember?”

 

“Be careful,” Poe says.

 

“Always, flyboy,” Finn says.  “Now, we’re gonna get you up and get you outta here.”  Finn nods to K’al and they each reach under one of Poe’s arms, hauling him up. 

 

Poe groans as they get him on his feet.  “Thanks,” Poe manages.  He looks over at K’al.  “To both of you.”  Poe tries to smile and it comes out as a grimace.

 

Finn can hear shouting nearby.  He really needs to get back to the ship.

 

He looks to K’al, who nods.  “Go on.  I’ve got him.”

 

Poe looks over at him and gives him a small smile.  “Be careful,” he repeats.

 

_Screw it_.  Finn presses his lips to Poe’s.  It’s quick—over in a heartbeat—but Poe’s eyes go wide all the same.  “Tell me,” Finn says.

 

“Huh?”  Poe’s blinking, dazed.  “You kissed me,” he says, all dreamy, reaching up and touching his lips.  _Finn kissed me._

 

“Yeah, I did.”

 

“Wait.  Tell you what?”

 

Finn chuckles.  “When I get back to base—and I’m promising you _I will get back to base_ —tell me the truth.  Don’t wait.  The next time you see me, walk up to me and tell me how you feel.”

 

“Tell you how I feel,” Poe repeats in a daze.  “Tell you I love you?”

 

Finn’s heart skips a beat and he can’t help his smile.  “Yeah, Poe, tell me that.  I promise I’ll reciprocate.”

 

Poe smiles.  “You love me too?” 

 

There’s an explosion nearby.

 

Finn leans in and growls, “Yes.”  He kisses Poe again—a bit more forcefully this time.

 

Poe finds himself leaning into it.  He gasps when Finn pulls away.  “Remember, Poe.  Just come up and tell me.”  Finn runs towards the dock.

 

Poe reaches after him.

 

K’al looks at Poe, grinning and shaking his head.  “Okay, lover boy.  Let’s get you outta here and back to the Resistance.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers, I'm going to be traveling next week, and at times I may not have reliable internet access, so there is a 50-50 chance I won't be able to post next week. If I can't, I promise that the final chapter will go up on June 8th.


	5. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little up-front warning for violence and Finn doing what he needs to do to get the job done.

 

 

Finn runs out onto the dock, forcing himself not to look back to check on Poe.  He has no plan, just the hope that the element of surprise will work in his favor.  He grips his blaster and sends a prayer out into the universe as he spots the ramp of the Oggra.  _Please let her be okay_.

 

Another explosion rocks the An’tana house and Finn can hear yelling and blasterfire as he reaches the ship.

 

“Rook,” Bubs yells from the top of the ramp.

 

Finn doesn’t even stop running, just lifts his blaster and fires. 

 

He runs up the ramp, kicking Bubs’ body off, and turns to come face to face with Stancchi.  Stancchi holds up his hands and motions to the compartment to his left.  “They’re in there,” he says.

 

Finn hesitates.  _I’m gonna need someone to fly this thing_.  He asks, “If Marco wasn’t—”

 

“You tell me where to go and I’ll go there.” 

 

Finn nods and starts towards the compartment.

 

Marco comes stomping out, “Bubs, what in the hell was that—”

 

Finn takes him down with one shot.

 

He moves into the compartment to find Gill holding a blaster to the Twi’lek’s temple.  “I’ll kill her, Rook.  Then whachya gonna do?”

 

Finn keeps his blaster trained on Gill.  The girl is crying, loud horrified sobs shaking her tiny frame.

 

“Shut up,” Gill hisses at her.

 

“Why don’t you let her go and we’ll settle this between ourselves?”

 

“Why don’t you blow me, Rook?”

 

Finn sizes up the situation.  Gill is holding the girl close and her lekku are making it that much harder.  _It’s a risk._  

 

Gill sneers at him.  “Unless you’re the galaxy’s best shot, Rook, I’d suggest—”

 

Finn takes the shot.  He hits Gill between the eyes.

 

As Gill’s body lands on the floor with a thud, the girl screams.  Finn moves forward, checking that Gill is, in fact, dead.  He lowers his weapon and raises his free hand as he faces her.  “Miss?  Miss?  My name is Finn, and I’m with the Resistance.  Miss?”  She won’t stop shrieking.  “Miss,” he says a bit louder.  “I’m not gonna hurt you.  Miss!”

 

She abruptly stops.

 

“Let’s, um…” he gestures to the door.  “There’s another compartment, next door.”  He looks down at Gill.  “No bodies.”

 

The girl rushes out and into the next compartment.  She begins backing towards the far wall, her hands up in front of her.  Finn puts his blaster down in the hall outside the compartment and comes in with his hands up.  He tries to speak in as soothing a tone as possible.  “As I was saying, my name is Finn.  I’m an undercover operative for the Resistance.  I need to know, do you have a family?  Someone who takes care of you?”

 

The ship shakes as another explosion goes off.  The girl puts a hand to the nearest wall to steady herself as she shakes her head _no_.  She’s refusing to make eye contact.

 

“Okay,” Finn says, glancing towards the cockpit.  “I need to tell the pilot to take off so we can get out of here, away from the fighting, okay?”

 

She nods again.

 

“You have a name?”

 

“Feya,” she whispers.

 

“Fee-yah,” Finn repeats.

 

She nods.

 

“Good to meet you, Feya.”  He starts backing towards the door to the compartment.  “I’m gonna go talk to the pilot.  You stay here.”

 

He runs up front.  “Take off.”

 

“Where,” asks Stancchi.

 

“Away from here,” Finn barks.

 

Stancchi starts warming the ship up.  “Whatever you say, _boss_.”

 

Finn goes into the ship’s lounge, stepping over Marco’s body.   _Worry about that later_.  He tries to ignore the way his hands are shaking.  He finds a blanket and something to eat and drink.  He runs back to the compartment.  The girl has backed up into a corner.

 

He holds out the food.  “I brought you some…”  He tries to smile.  “I’m gonna bring it over to you.”

 

She starts to flinch as he gets closer, so Finn leaves the things on the ground and backs away.

 

Stancchi’s voice echoes along the walls.  “Ready for takeoff.  Might want to find a seat.”

 

Finn looks at the girl and sits on the floor.  She does the same.  It’s a bit bumpy, but the ship is soon away from the An’tana complex.

 

Finn chews his lip for a moment.  “I need to tell him where to go, but…  Is there any place you’re from?”

 

She shakes her head.

 

“Okay,” he says, trying to get his brain to work.  _Where to take her?_   “I’m going to go call a friend of mine, see if she knows of a good place.  I’ll be gone for a bit, but I’m gonna come back, okay, Feya?”

 

She nods.

 

Finn gets up.  At the door, he says, “No one is going to touch you.  Stancchi will stay up front and I’ll keep my distance.”

 

She gives him a small smile.

 

Finn goes back to the cockpit and sits down in the co-pilot’s chair.  “Open a line for me,” he says.  Stancchi does.  Finn starts inputting codes. 

 

“So I should just?”

 

“Drift for a while, okay?  I’m waiting for coordinates.”

 

Stancchi raises an eyebrow but keeps his mouth shut.

 

About forty minutes later, an alarm dings.  Finn holds his breath waiting for the comm to go through.  He hears a voice crackle through the speakers, “You have a secure line with KY-003.”

 

“Kaydel, this is Finn.  Code FN-361.  I need to talk to the General please.”

 

“Finn!  Yes, just a moment.”

 

Less than a minute later, Finn hears a familiar voice say, “It’s good to hear from you, Finn.  I know of at least one pilot who will be glad to hear you got off Coruscant okay.”

 

“You’ve talked to him?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then you know some of what happened.”

 

“Yes.  Quite a story.”

 

“Well, it isn’t over yet.”

 

“It isn’t?”

 

“General, I need your help with something…”

 

**# # # #**

**Two weeks later:**

Poe stands on the tarmac watching the transport land.  He’s trying very hard not to hate whoever is piloting the fragging ship because whoever that being is, they are taking their own sweet time with this landing.  _Just land the damn ship already!_

 

He smiles as the ship _finally_ sets down.  Well, it’s really more of a grimace because now, Poe’s got to wait for the ramp to be lowered, and no one on the ship seems to be in any kind of hurry.  _Just open the damn ramp already!_ He starts shifting from foot to foot.

 

The ramp lowers and beings start getting off.  Poe holds his breath.  _Come on.  Come on.  Come on._

 

Finn is nearly the last one off the ship.  As soon as he’s on the ramp, he looks around, and then bursts into a wide smile when he sees Poe.

 

Poe raises a hand and waves.  _I can do this._

_I can totally do this._

 

Finn jogs over.  He stops about three feet in front of Poe, dropping his duffle to the ground.  “Hey.”

 

“I love you,” Poe blurts out.

 

Finn starts laughing.  “That’s one way to say hello.”

 

 _You idiot!_   Poe closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.  “Hello,” he says.  He opens his eyes and takes a deep breath.  “I love you.”

 

Finn raises an eyebrow.

 

“You told me to tell you, so I’m tellin’ you.  I love you.”

 

“You remembered.”

 

“I was out of it by the time you found me, but I wasn’t that out of it.”

 

“You were babbling, Dameron.”

 

“Yeah, well, a guy tends to remember when the love of his life kisses him for the first time.”

 

Finn’s smile grows wider.  “Love of your life?”

 

“Yeah, well,” Poe looks down, scratches his boot along the duracrete. “So why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Tell you what?”

 

“Back at the party.  Why didn’t you say anything?  Why didn’t you just tell me who you were?”

 

“We were both undercover, and there was a lot going on, Poe.”  Finn smiles.  “Besides, I think what we really need to talk about is how you kept shamelessly flirting with me, even though you were in love with…well, _me_.”

 

Poe looks up to the sky, blushing.  “The only reason I was flirting with you is because you looked like you.  I mean, like Finn.  And besides, I did know it was you.  For most of it, at least.”

 

“Most of it?”

 

“Yeah, well, what about you?”

 

“What about me, Dameron?”

 

“Well, you were flirting with me too!”

 

“Yeah, because I knew it was you.”

 

Poe opens his mouth and then closes it.  He is clearly flustered.  “Well, I have no response to that.”

 

Finn laughs as he takes a step forward.  “So?”

 

Poe smiles that cocky half-smile of his.  “I believe I’m the one who’s already told you at least three times that I love you.  It’s all on you now.”

 

Finn grabs Poe’s jacket, jerks him forward.  “Oh, is it, now?”  He presses his lips to Poe’s.  They share a tender kiss, both aware that there are dozens of eyes on them.

 

Eventually, Finn pulls just far enough away to meet Poe’s gaze.  “Are you okay?”

 

“I am now,” Poe purrs.

 

“No, Poe…”  Finn looks down, makes a point of studying Poe’s hands, his face.  “The last time I saw you, you were…”  Finn swallows.

 

Poe’s hands come to rest on Finn’s shoulders.  “Finn, babe, I’m fine.  A little bacta.  A little rest.  I’m good as new.”  He kisses Finn’s forehead.

 

Finn lets out a breath and looks up.  “It’s just when they were torturing you and I couldn’t—”

 

“You saw?”

 

“There was a security feed.  We were supposed to be keeping an eye on Hux.”  Finn closes his eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by that sick feeling he’d felt watching Poe and knowing he couldn’t do anything.

 

“Finn,” Poe pulls him into a hug and whispers into his ear.  “I’m okay.  I promise.”

 

Finn nods, wrapping his arms around Poe.  “When you said my name, I thought I was going to die.”

 

“When I said…”  Poe has tried to block out most of the torture—he is the king of compartmentalizing things—but he suddenly remembers.  “I was so scared that they’d get you too…”

 

Finn grabs him tighter.  Poe buries his face in Finn’s shoulder.

 

After a few minutes, Poe pushes back, wiping his eyes.  “Kriff, this was supposed to be a sexy reunion.”

 

Finn shakes his head.  “You nearly died, Poe.”

 

Poe nods, wiping his eyes again.  “And do I want to know what you’ve been going through since I last saw you?”

 

Finn frowns.  “I’m okay.”

 

“Physically, sure, but…”

 

Finn shakes his head.  “I don’t think I can…”  He exhales.  “The Oggra and her crew are…taken care of.  I got the girl out and no one was able to touch her.  And then I took her somewhere safe where she can live with a family who will take good care of her.  That’s what matters.”

 

Poe nods.

 

The General is walking towards them.  “Finn,” she calls.  She motions towards the base.  “De-brief?”

 

“Be right there, ma’am.”

 

He steps back from Poe.  “How about we try this again tonight?  Less angst.  More naked shenanigans?”

 

Poe chuckles.  “Sounds good.”

 

Finn picks up his duffle and jogs after the General.  He spares a quick look back at Poe.  He smiles and waves.

 

Poe smiles and waves back.

 

He slowly walks to the hangar where K’al is sitting with Jess and Snap.

 

“You okay, Poe,” Jess asks.

 

“Yeah.  I’m good.  Everything’s good.”

 

“You don’t look good,” K’al says.

 

“Well, I am,” Poe says, sitting on a crate.

 

K’al frowns.  He’d seen the extent of Poe’s injuries up close when they’d gotten off Coruscant, but Poe hadn’t told him how he got them.  He hadn’t told anyone. 

 

 _Finn knows_.  K’al’s frown deepens as he realizes, _Finn, who’s probably been through some horrible shit of his own these past few weeks._   He shakes his head as he looks at Jess, Snap, and Poe.  _Maker, we’re all kriffed up here, aren’t we?_

_We._

_Crap, I’m one of them now._

_Fundamentally good people.  That’s what Rook…er, Finn said._

_Fundamentally good people who are really messed up._

 

Poe looks at him and raises an eyebrow.  K’al shakes his head.  _Not now_.  “So, you told your boy you love him like he asked?”

 

“Yep,” Poe says.

 

“And he told you,” K’al asks.

 

“Yep,” Poe answers.

 

“We all told you he felt the same way,” Jess says.

 

“Yep,” Poe says. 

 

“So, you two meeting up later,” Snap asks.

 

Poe nods.  “That’s the plan.”

 

“And then you’ll be having lots of wild sex?”

 

“Jess!”

 

Snap and K’al laugh.  Poe blushes.

 

Jess gives Poe a stare that challenges him to contradict what she’s said.  “Well?”

 

“Probably,” he mutters, eyes on the ground.

 

Karé’s voice comes from the other side of the hangar.  “Snap? Jess?  A little help?”

 

“Well, good luck tonight, I guess,” Snap says.  He looks to Jess.  “It seems strange to say that to Poe…about Finn.”

 

Jess rolls her eyes.  “Use protection.”

 

“Jess!”  Poe blushes anew.

 

Jess and Snap jog off to find Karé.

 

Poe and K’al fall into a companionable silence, but after a few minutes, Poe says, “Spill, K’al.”

 

“I don’t know that we’re good enough friends yet that—”

 

“I puked on you twenty minutes after we met.  And you cleaned me up.  I’m pretty sure that solidifies our friendship.  Plus, you’re still here.  You’re like a stray that followed me home and never left.”

 

K’al chuckles.  “More like a stray who helped saved your life and…”  He shakes his head.  “You guys are kriffing weird.”

 

“And you’re one of us now.  You’ll get used to it.”  Poe starts swinging his legs, bouncing his feet into the crate.  “So, come on, what’s up?”

 

“You and Finn,” K’al says.

 

“Me and Finn?”

 

“I just…”  K’al frowns.  “From what everyone’s telling me, you two pussy-footed around each other for months and then sulked for another few months while he was away.  Then, you nearly die and—”

 

“I didn’t nearly die,” Poe says.

 

“Fine.  You get all fucked up by the Order and decide to confess your love.”

 

Poe stops swinging his legs.  _Yeah, probably not the healthiest of ways to communicate_.  “It’s a kriffing mess,” he says, his voice just above a whisper.

 

“Yeah,” K’al agrees.  “But I mean, I don’t get it.  I don’t…I mean, I never felt that way about anyone, really, so maybe it’s that.”  He shrugs.  “Had a cat once.”  His voice gets all faraway.  “Loved that cat.  Named him Moofy.”  He drifts off into memories.

 

When he realizes Poe is staring, he clears his throat.  “But, yeah.  That’s not the point.  The point is, I’m pretty sure that Moofy knew I loved him.  I didn’t wait until people were shooting at us to tell him.”

 

Poe smiles, trying to envision this hulking man—who’s his dad’s age, for crying the kriff out loud—running away from Stormtroopers, a kitten cradled in one arm.

 

“Poe?”

 

“Sorry, man.  That’s just quite a visual.”  Poe shakes his head.  “But no, I get what you’re saying.”  He shrugs.  “I was scared.”

 

“Of what?”

 

“First, I was scared that he didn’t love me back.  Then, I was scared that it meant more to me than to him or that if we did get together, I’d screw him up somehow.  After that, I think I was scared of what it would mean if we really did get to have this.”

 

K’al raises an eyebrow.

 

“Any one of us could die tomorrow.”

 

“True.”

 

“What if I lose him?”

 

K’al considers it for a few moments.  “What if you don’t?”

 

“K’al, come on.  You’ve been around the galaxy long enough to know—”

 

“Kid, I’m not trying to sell you something here, and I’m the last person you’d call an optimist, but it seems to me that everyone’s a whole lot happier holding onto hope.  Besides, you’ve got him _now_.  Shouldn’t you be enjoying that?”

 

Poe reluctantly nods.  He starts kicking against the crate again.  “So, what?  You join the Resistance, and you’re like my life coach now or something?”

 

K’al throws back his head and laughs.  “Dameron, the sheer number of people on this base who keep trying to help you be happy is astounding.  For some reason, you’ve sucked me into it too.”  K’al stands.  “Maybe it’s a testament to what a nice guy you are.  Maybe it’s because Rook…I mean, Finn, saved my life, and I want to see him happy.  Whatever it is, learn to appreciate it, okay?”

 

Poe looks him in the eye.  “Thanks.”

 

“Don’t mention it.”  K’al starts to walk off.  He turns.  “I’m serious, Dameron.  Do not mention this to anyone.  Especially not the cat.”

 

“Your secret is safe with me.  Although if you don’t think I might use the name Moofy as leverage, well…”

 

“I will end you, Dameron,” K’al says.

 

“No, you won’t,” Poe calls after him.

 

 _No, I won’t_ , K’al thinks as he walks over to see if Snap and Jess needed any help.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn steps into their room to find Poe pacing in between their beds.  Poe sees him, stops and blurts out, “K’al thinks we’re screwed up.”

 

Finn breaks into a wide smile.  “Poe, you’ve really got to work on your hellos.  They suck.”

 

Poe groans.  “Sorry.  I’ve just…I’ve been in my head for the last three hours and…”  He collapses onto his bed.  “He’s right.  This is so fragging messed up.”  He looks over at Finn who is still standing by the door.  “Why in the hell did we wait until the First Order is torturing me to tell each other how we feel?  What kind of kriffed up thinking is that?”  Poe covers his eyes with his arm.

 

Finn moves into the room, shoving Poe’s feet aside to sit at the end of his bed.  “The First Order tends to destroy the things we care about, so if we never admit how we feel, then this stupid kriffing war can’t take it away from us.  Or something like that?”

 

Poe scoots up, so he’s sitting.  “Yeah, but that’s still messed up.”

 

“So are Rey’s nightmares.  So is the fact that the Statura sits in his office late at night and drinks.”  Finn leans back against the wall.  “We’re soldiers, Poe.  I’m pretty sure we’re all kriffed up.”

 

“So what does that mean for us?”

 

“You backing out already?”

 

“Kriff, no!  Not…  No!”  Poe grabs Finn’s shoulder.  “No,” he says one last time, firmly.  “It’s just…if I die or…you…die,” he whispers, “I just…  It’s bad enough when your friends don’t come back from missions, but to lose _you_.  I just…”

 

“I’m here, Poe.  I’m here and I’m fine.  You’re the one who damn near—”

 

“They broke some fingers and punched me a bit.  I’ve had worse.”

 

“Well, not that I’ve had to watch.”

 

“But that’s just it, isn’t it?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, one of us is always going to be in danger, if not both of us.  If it’s not me getting my fingers broken, it’s you getting your back sliced up.  And one day—”

 

“Don’t think like that.”

 

“I don’t want to lose you.”  Poe chokes up.  “I came too damn close already.”  He shakes his head.  “I can’t lose you, Finn.”

 

Finn moves until he can lean into Poe.  “I’m not gonna promise you that you won’t because we both know that’s banthashit.”

 

“So, what do we do?”

 

Finn takes his hand.  “We protect each other as best we can, try not to take stupid risks, and enjoy every scrap of time we’ve got together.”

 

Poe sighs.  “Our entire lives are stupid risks.”

 

“Yeah, well, you make an art form out of plunging into things without thinking.”

 

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

 

“Thank the maker for that.”

 

Poe chuckles.  He lifts Finn’s hand and kisses it.  “I’d like to plunge into this too, if you’re willing.  Relationship.  Boyfriends.  The whole thing.  I’m ready.  And I’ve actually been giving it a lot of thought.  Too much thought, probably.”

 

Finn smiles.  “I’m pretty sure in your case, that’s not possible.”

 

“Hey!”

 

Finn raises an eyebrow. 

 

“Yeah, you’re adorable, but give me some credit, Finn.”

 

Finn’s smile is easy and sweet.  “Poe, I’m just pushing your buttons.  No one I’d rather have with me in a fight.  No one I trust more in the entire galaxy.  Period.”

 

“Even Rey?”

 

Finn’s smile widens.  “Even Rey.”  He chuckles.  “Although it’s close.  Real close.”

 

“Fair enough,” Poe says.

 

“I’ve been giving this a lot of thought too.  And a lot of what you’ve said…”  Finn shrugs and closes his eyes, leaning a bit more heavily on Poe.  “Sometimes I think it was easier as a trooper.  They took this part of it out of the equation.  No possibility of a real relationship, so no fear that you might lose it.”

 

Poe leans back, wrapping his arm around Finn and bringing him down till they are lying on the bunk side by side.  “I find it amazing that two people known for not overthinking things are both overthinking the hell out of their relationship.”  He kisses the top of Finn’s head.

 

Finn wraps an arm around Poe’s chest.  “Mmmmmmm…,” he hums.  “True.”  He nuzzles into Poe.  “So, maybe we should table the thinking until tomorrow?”

 

Poe lets his eyes fall shut and squeezes Finn to him.  “Why?  What did you have in mind?”

 

“I believe I promised you some naked shenanigans,” Finn says, his hand finding its way under Poe’s shirt.

 

“Ahhhhhhh,” Poe says, trying to sound cool.  “Yes, I seem to remember that.”  Finn’s fingers skim over Poe’s nipple and Poe jerks up. 

 

“You do,” Finn asks innocently.

 

“Mmmmmmm,” Poe just barely manages.

 

Finn pushes himself up and straddles Poe.  “Well, I can’t go back on a promise to my boyfriend, can I?”

 

Poe puts his hands behind his head and looks up at Finn.  “No.  Can’t do that.”

 

Finn leans forward, his hands falling to bracket either side of Poe’s face.  To Poe, it feels like it’s happening in slow motion—Finn getting closer and closer and closer and Poe tries to keep his eyes open, but as Finn’s soft lips glide across his, his eyes fall shut and he opens his mouth. 

 

Poe’s hands find the back of Finn’s head, to pull him in even further.  And Poe is moaning, and time slows down so that there’s only this: Finn’s body, warm and heavy on top of his.  Finn’s tongue tracing over his lip and darting in and doing things that make Poe’s toes curl. 

 

And then the room is full of the wet sounds of them kissing and moaning, and all Poe can feel is this need, this terrible need, that’s been building for nearly a year now.

 

Neither knows how long they stay like that, but when Finn finally pulls back, gasping for air, he pauses at the sight just below him.  Poe looks wrecked.  His pupils are blown, his lips are swollen, and his hair is an absolute mess.  Finn bursts into a wide smile.

 

Poe raises an eyebrow.

 

Finn shakes his head.  “You’re just…you’re gorgeous, you know that?”

 

Poe chuckles.  “Says the man so beautiful that he nearly made me blow my cover at the masquerade.”

 

Finn leans back on his ankles.  “What?”

 

Poe blushes—and it’s hard to tell because he’s already quite flushed, but that red gets just a touch redder.  He shakes his head.  “Well, you might as well know, seeing as how it ended up being you and all, but I saw you about fifteen minutes before I drug you on the dance floor.”

 

Finn’s smile is blinding.  “You did?”

 

“Yeah, and…”  Poe bites his lip.  “The cream mask against your skin.  Uh, it was a very good look.”

 

“Was it now?  I’ll have to remember that.”

 

“Yeah, well, _Rook_ , if I were—”  Poe stops and seems to be calculating something in his head.

 

“What is it?”

 

“You said your name was Rook.”

 

“Yeah, and?”

 

“Rook what?”

 

“Rook Antilles,” Finn says.

 

Poe bursts out laughing.  “Rook Antilles?  Really?  Couldn’t think of any other imperial defectors to add in there?  Oh man, and I thought my cover name was a bit much.”

 

Finn looks down at him.  “It was, _Cassian_.”

 

“Hey, I didn’t pick that one.  The General did.”

 

Finn leans over, his hands planted on Poe’s shoulders.  “Well, that’s what you get for telling her all about your crush on Andor during that one party.”  He leans in closer.  “Just be happy she didn’t name you after one of your other crushes.”

 

Poe definitely goes a shade of red darker at that.  “Other?  How do you know about…”

 

Finn kisses the tip of Poe’s nose.  He then mimics Poe’s voice, “Oh Finn, they were just so brave.  All of them.  And I mean, Cassian is my favorite, but Lando Calrissian.  He’s amazing, and beautiful, so beautiful.  Have you ever seen a picture of him in the cape?  Then there’s Luke.  Luke Skywalker.  I mean, what can you say about Luke Skywalker?  And Finn, you remind me of him, you know?  You both have such pretty eyes.  My favorite eyes.”

 

Poe’s mouth is open in shock.  “I did not—”

 

“Every. Single. Word.”

 

“When?”

 

“The party two weeks before I left.  You got drunk, and I brought you back here and you started telling me about every man you’ve had a crush on.  Ever.”

 

“And how did you not figure out that I was head over heels in love with you then?”

 

“Because you mentioned everyone but me!”

 

“How many other guys on base do I compare to Luke Skywalker, Finn?”

 

“Well, I didn’t know that was secret Poe code for _I love you_ , did I?”

 

“Well, now you do.”

 

Finn shakes his head, laughing.  “What am I gonna do with you, Poe?”

 

“That’s Luke Calrissian to you, sir.”  Poe flutters his eyelashes.  “And hopefully, you’re gonna do whatever you fragging please.”

 

Finn smiles and leans in, nuzzling Poe’s neck.  Just before he presses his teeth into Poe’s skin, Poe says, “Oh, and next chance we get, we should totally get K’al a cat.”

 

Finn closes his eyes.  “I’m not even gonna ask.”  He places a light kiss on Poe’s skin.  “But maybe you could focus on your boyfriend trying to seduce you instead of some other guy?  Just for a few minutes at least?”  Finn begins licking up Poe’s throat.

 

“I…I can totally do that,” Poe says.

 

“Good,” Finn murmurs as he redoubles his efforts.

 

“And we have to name the cat Moofy…”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who subscribed, left kudos, and who wrote such beautiful comments! All of that made me very, very happy.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and kudos are so very appreciated. Thanks for reading!


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